On Saturday I was out shopping with the wife and children and we ran into one of the local supermarkets to pick up something that only they seem to carry. Posted right at the front of the store at my children's eye level was a massive display of Elmo cupcakes. I was quick to perform some parental misdirection ("Is that Thomas the Tank Engine buying Lucky Charms?") so the kids did not see them, and disaster was averted, but I know that I will not always be that lucky.
As my children get older, their awareness grows, and my awareness of what they'll latch onto grows, so I find myself planning the most advantageous routes out of stores to avoid having screaming fits and hours of conversations with my daughter. "But why can't I have a puppy Daddy?" "Because puppies are a lot of wor-" "But why?" "Because puppies need a lot of attentio-" "But why?" I don't go down that aisle because it's filled with M&Ms. I don't go down that aisle because it's filled with balloons. That aisle has dancing girls and machine guns, so that aisle might be okay.
The thing is, Giant, our preferred supermarket, doesn't seem to resort to pushing the stuff my kids would gravitate to right at the front. There's no cupcakes or beach balls or Easter baskets or dancing monkies and hurdy-gurdy men. It's all business. This week's specials, an artfully designed replica of the Roman Colloseum built out of cases of generic root beer and newspapers. My son's not going to reach out and point "Ooo dad, the Wall Street Journal!"
If he did, hell, that I'd buy it for him.
As for the grocery store thing, well... I can so relate. It's just easier to avoid the challenge spots than it is to reason with a wee-one about the reasons why those frosty, colorful, cute-mascot thingys aren't good, safe, healthy, appropriate, etc.
Keep up the good work, Daddy!
Richard